The one mobile gadget to rule them all

September 24, 2007

Spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch - unfortunately the mental check list we run through before leaving home is no longer that simple. Mobile phone? Check. PDA? Check. MP3 player? Check. GPS? Check. It's getting to the point where you need to hire a team of sherpas just to lug your gadgets every time you go down to the shops.

Thankfully the rise of the all-in-one smartphone is bringing us closer to the one gadget to rule them all. We've come a long way since Handspring's Treo 180 kicked off the smartphone revolution in Australia. The Treo 180 flip phone bore more than a passing resemblance to a Star Trek communicator, but we ubernerds were disappointed to discover you couldn't open it with a Kirk-esque flick of the wrist.

The Treo 180 ran the Palm operating system and came with the choice of handwriting recognition or a tiny built-in QWERTY keyboard. It wasn't the very first device to combine a phone and PDA, but the $1399 price tag, sexy look and pocket-friendly size helped it capture the public's imagination.

A lot has changed since that initial courtship between mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants.

One of the most important changes has been the mobile networks that support them. High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) finally offers downloads speeds that make mobile internet access practical, albeit horrendously expensive if you're using Telstra's Next G network. If you don't stray outside the major cities, you can get much more bang for your buck from the likes of Hutchison's 3.

If you consider HSDPA access and a QWERTY keyboard mandatory for your dream gadget on the go, there's not a lot to choose from apart from the Palm's Treo 750 and the HTC Hermes - the latter rebadged in Australia as the i-mate JasJam and Dopod 838Pro. The Treo 750 is a great device but the keyboard is a tad small for those of us with fat fingers. The Hermes has one of the biggest smartphone keyboards around, but it's a very clunky phone.

If you're not so fussy about data speeds you can add the likes of Nokia's E61, HP's iPaq Mobile Messenger, Sony Ericsson's P910i and a few Blackberries to the list. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses. If you can live with a "virtual" keyboard you could always try your hand at hacking an Apple iPhone to run in Australia.

If you were stuck on a desert island - that just happened to have a high speed mobile network that didn't cost an arm and a leg - what's the one gadget you couldn't live without?

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Recent comments

What about the iphone? Won't that do most things these smartphones do?

Antal

September 24, 2007

11:34 AM

Definetely my treo 680. Organises my diary, it's a phone and mp3 player, gives me access to my emails all with the Palm OS (which I still think is better than the Windows OS for mobile devices). Don't need much more....

fbc

September 24, 2007

12:12 PM

Electric toothbrush.

Romi

September 24, 2007

01:15 PM

My treo 600 because it works.... most of the time. Have had to do a few rebuilds when it packed a sad. I find the keyboard fine but the screen has lost a few pixels in a yellow spider web pattern. It can load the smh site but I can't blog! I can read most hotmails and ebay items as long as the document isn't too big. Haven't bothered to try and bid on e-bay. The PDA bits are brilliant for keeping me organised and where I am supposed to be. The phone is okay but has been dropped a few too mant times times and it is marginal with a low battery. So far the global roaming has worked.

However, saw a hacked iPhone a couple of days ago and had serious lust issues! If I hadn't buggered my ears with a walkman I would be definately upgrading to include an MP3! A GPS would be nice but it's actually the other half who is locationally challenged.

Julian

September 24, 2007

01:23 PM

My SP5 (by HTC) is brilliant. As a smartphone, it doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of a full PDA, but having used the XDA & XDA2 previously, I find I don't miss many features. A good document viewer would be handy but that's about it.

serryce

September 24, 2007

01:35 PM

Currently, my laptop, since I have an ancient Nokia that still has the two-tone screen. :)

Actually, I'm planning to buy a smartphone and am presently hung midway between the JasJam, the Treo and the HTC.

Any thoughts, recs from the bloggers out there? (I have no idea if this is a good place to ask such a question: I'm more used to the social end of the SMH blogging spectrum - namely the AMAL forum.)

wags

September 24, 2007

01:59 PM

Nokia E61i
Nokia E90 Communicator
never had a problem

AJ

September 24, 2007

03:14 PM

I have been using the Blackberry 8800 for a few months now & absolutely love it. Email works well with this unit as does the phone capabilities. It does not have a camera but I prefer to use my own camera for taking snapshots. Built in GPS works great & I use it regularly as I am on the road quite abit.

The calendar & to-do syncs with Lotus notes with no problem.(one of the few that i have found works well). It will work with Outlook or other email clients also.

Keyboard is easy to use even though the buttons are small. Phone is clear & handsfree is loud.

There is a newer Wifi model out now which mine does not have.

If you are looking to get a new smartphone, this would be one of the better ones(provided you don't need a camera).

999 Reasons

September 24, 2007

03:25 PM

Mmmmm... I buy the concept of the smart phone but I have some major issues about some of the applications you want to cram on to it. Especially when you need to use them all at once.

I think bringing together Phone, PDA and MP3 makes a lot of sense... where I have trouble is what fits into my pocket at this point of time cannot carry a screen/keyboard that works for me beyond applications like phone/mp3/calendar.

So while the iPhone/Smartphone tempts me... I am not sure I can overcome my stubby, sometimes grubby fingers and the ability to read SMH on something a couple of inches wide unless it's minute.

The other issue is unless you want to carry a headset (blue tooth or wired) or use the speaker phone it does become difficult to juggle between phone and other applications. I have enough problems at the moment with my phone entering new numbers people are yelling out to me whilst on the phone.

So at this point of time I am sticking with my Motorola V3 and a separate MP3 player. I have also ditched my palm and just use my calendar on my laptop as it's integrated with Work and instant messaging.

So for now...I'll stay away... who knows in January I may succumb :-)

Mattaus

September 24, 2007

03:54 PM

I recently purchased a HTC p3600i and it rocks my world.

WM6 (and hence all the bells and whistles that come with it), Camera (Video, Stills and Video calling), GPS (need maps of course), 3.5G phone, cheaps as nails (comparatively speaking anyway) and to top it off small and light weight. Pitty it dosnt havea physical keyboard but you get used to it...

Noel

September 24, 2007

04:01 PM

Have been very happy with my Treo 650, but am eagerly waiting for Palm to release their new Smartphone with wifi.

Daniel K

September 24, 2007

04:05 PM

Yes the Treo 680 has been great for me.
Granted it hasn't got the most impressive multimedia features but its very user friendly. Love the chat function when txting and I even squeeze my bible in it.

David

September 24, 2007

04:20 PM

Have used Treos since the 270 (pictured in the story) which by the way is at least 5 years old, Had a 270, 600, 650 and now a 680. All with the palm operating system. The just do everything. Open and edit word and excel, great email device (when you need it) not the constant on of a crackberry! Web access, can't tell you how many times i've looked up flight arrival info from a carpark near the airport.
Threaded sms since the very first device. I've even got a tide predictor on my phone. The worst thing about most of these devices is the lack of knowledge at the retail level. The number of times I've heard some junior in officeworks sprouting BS about smartphones I just want to strangle them. The only decent shops in Australia for these devices are in Melbourne (unfortunately). Oh and don't even bother with the iPhone if you want to edit a word doc? Gees what were they thinking, a glorified mp3 player that answers phone calls? go figure!

raf

September 24, 2007

04:36 PM

A++++ to my Treo 680. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT mistake the Palm Treo 680 with the Treo 750. These are essentially the same phones BUT the 750 has Windows (Pocket PC) on. Everyone I know who has the 750 has returned theirs, and are swaering to stay off anything with Palm Treo on it. Wrong move in my opinion! You cannot go wrong with the 680. Try it. Love it!!

matt

September 24, 2007

04:52 PM

The iphone is essentially a dumbed down piece of crap that will do what pdas do - only in a very limited way.

A PDA is not a smartphone, it is basically a handheld PC that has the ability to make phone calls.

A smartphone is essentially a phone that has some very basic, limited pda capabilities. A smartphone is not nearly as versatile or useful as a real pda.

Goofball

September 24, 2007

04:56 PM

@Romi: The orange pixel "blob" on early Treo 600s is a very well known hardware fault. If it is still under warranty (fat chance I guess since they havent been made for a few years) you can get it replaced for free.... mine was. Or, just buy a used 650 from eBay for about $250 and enjoy the 4x higher resolution screen.

Peter

September 24, 2007

05:44 PM

iPhone is not avaliable in australia yet - nor would it be technologically compatible with our networks... yet

shaby

September 24, 2007

06:21 PM

I have a nokia n95 - works great in Europe the UAE and elsewhere, phone, gps, wireless internet and bluetooth... all I need now is to be beamed up scotty!

Kirk

September 24, 2007

06:51 PM

I use an HP ipaq 6965. Wifi makes up for non-3G. The killer app is GPS, and a stereo bluetooth headset deals with many other issues. Great sound, looking forward to the new HP on 3G, losing the qwerty keyboard, but may not be the end of the world. Prefer Win-Mobile operating system for custom apps, incl. e-books. Can't think of anything else you'd want.

Chris

September 24, 2007

07:12 PM

I just got a new iPhone and am using it on the Optus network. It does everything (almost) ... way better than the XDA 2s I used to have. It's liberating having the full web experience in the palm of your hand - and it just works!

fire

September 24, 2007

08:05 PM

fire, and a knife, maybe electrical to make you happy.

We are so dependent on gadgets it's sickening, we seriously need a little self dependence

Romi

September 24, 2007

08:44 PM

Thanks for the tip Goofball.
Not only is the other half directionally challenged but they won't let me upgrade until my Treo meets its smartphone maker. Every time my Treo packs a sad and I make a few cheaparse bids on eBay but after a rebuild it always bounces back!

Steve H

September 24, 2007

11:39 PM

I bought a Treo600 when it first came out and found it great apart from the low res screen. I updated to the Treo650 with the better screen and non volatile memory and to be honest have not bothered looking at anything since. The 650 still does everything I want it to do and while it is functioning correctly there is nothing that really grabs my attention

Adam Turner

September 25, 2007

12:05 AM

"I updated to the Treo650 with the better screen and non volatile memory"

Good move - the screen on the 650 was a vast improvement and I refuse to use devices without non-volatile RAM. Abandoned my old Palm m125 for that very reason.

Stephen Khoo

September 25, 2007

12:09 AM

Can't go past a treo, great battery life on my treo 650. I read the days SMH(downloaded and displayed with plucker)on it while travelling to work, Plug it in to the P.A. system and listen to mp3's for the whole 12 hour shift and check my offsite emails. At the end of the day i get another hour of music or reading at the gym, then i call my wife for 30-90 minutes before bed. After all this there is STILL >40% battery left! On the standard 3yr old battery.

But what is the point of having a smartphone? I had a Nokia 9300 which has most of the bells and whistles but it was still hard to take a phone call and make notes in the device at the same time. I have gone back to a good mobile (Ericsson k800i - it takes nice pictures) and my old iPAQ.

the Nokia N95. An excellent utility for when your between laptops and/or desktops, overseas or at a function. Send, recieve, read, edit, fax, photograph or video: it's limitations lie in the hand of the beholder.

greg willson

September 25, 2007

07:08 AM

my treo 650 like the others mentioned here is part of my everyday life in all the ways a tech tragic knows. I bought a 680 and ended up giving it to my wife. battery life was woeful. my 680 takes over 5 days to flatten and I read SMH via avantgo, listen to podcasts walking to work, arise every week day courtesy of an MP3 alarm, even time my eggs with a nifty countdown alarm. I have an $8/m data package but find its not good value as I can chew 3MB in no time at all. go TREO!

Artie

September 25, 2007

07:55 AM

I've used all versions of the Treo since the 100 series and I must admit I have loved them. (I've stayed away from the Windows editions, however).

I recently purchased an iPhone and it definitely does it for me. The community software applications coming out for it have been fantastic. Imagine that, a developer community that is dedicated to releasing free software for a device that wasn't really meant to have third party application development!

I have short stubby fingers and the method of typing with your fingers is better than you may think!

You all have to remember one important factor with the Apple iPhone, it is completely software upgradable so new features will continue to pop into the unit when you least expect it!

'Try' before you go knocking this wonderful 'Communicator'. I know my family and I have!

PGS

September 25, 2007

09:21 AM

I have the HP Ipaq 6515 - crap! Would NOT recommend or buy the HP variant again. It continually crashes & reboots itself - often getting stuck mid-boot. HP support always told me it was my doing & it can't happen. Once it was out of warranty I was told by an HP tech it should have been replaced at the first call. Oddly enough - all callrecords have vanished from HP Support logs in India.
Now looking at the Samsung & other variants.

Loz

September 25, 2007

10:53 AM

i have been using a zinc O2 smart phone for the past month and it it indispensable.

&aving just moved to Hong Kong to work. i have to say, that cost of running data services on your phone from telstra, Three, Vodafone and Optus are an absolute rip off. I get unlimited data sdervice for less than 100 bucks a month here.

Darcy Digby

August 14, 2008

09:52 AM

I too have a HP ipaq Hw6515 and it is the worst piece of junk I've ever owned. it is lucky to be working for more than a couple of hours per day, it will re-boot at least 20 times a day. pick it up, put it down, answer a call, make a call, it re-boots and of course at that point you loose the incoming call number so you never get the call. It's the greatest lemon I've ever owned, leaves all the bad car's I've owned for dead for a waste of money. My advise is never NEVER waste your money on any HP product.

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Aussies love their gadgets. Mobiles phones, MP3 players, notebooks, GPS, if you can carry it, we’ll buy it. Gadget guru Adam Turner embraces the way of the road warrior, hitting the open highway in search of all things mobile.